Connect your Beats Pill in three steps
To connect a Beats Pill to your iPhone, turn on the speaker, hold it near your phone, and tap the pairing notification that appears on your screen. The speaker uses Bluetooth, which means it communicates wirelessly with your iPhone without needing cables or passwords. Most Beats Pills pair on the first try and stay connected to your phone automatically after that.
The whole process takes about 30 seconds. If your Beats Pill is brand new or hasn't been paired before, it enters pairing mode automatically when you turn it on. If you're reconnecting a speaker that's already paired to your phone, you just need to turn it on — your iPhone will connect without any extra steps.
Key Takeaways
- New Beats Pills enter pairing mode automatically when powered on for the first time, and your iPhone will show a pairing notification within a few seconds.
- Once paired, your Beats Pill reconnects to your iPhone automatically whenever both devices are turned on and within Bluetooth range.
- If pairing fails, restart both the speaker and your iPhone, then try again from the Bluetooth settings menu.
- You can pair the same Beats Pill to multiple devices, but it can only play audio from one device at a time.
Step-by-step pairing for a new Beats Pill
Start by powering on your Beats Pill. Look for the power button on the speaker — it's usually on the top or side. Press and hold it for a few seconds until you see a light flash or hear a sound. The speaker will announce that it's in pairing mode, or you'll see a light blinking on the device.
Pick up your iPhone and unlock it. Go to Settings, then tap Bluetooth. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on — you'll see a toggle switch at the top of the screen. Your iPhone will start scanning for nearby devices.
Within a few seconds, your Beats Pill should appear in the list of available devices. It will show the name "Beats Pill" or something similar. Tap the name to start pairing. Your iPhone will connect to the speaker, and you'll see a checkmark next to the device name when it's done.
Test the connection by playing music or a video on your iPhone. The sound should come through the Beats Pill instead of your phone's speaker. If you don't hear anything, check that the speaker's volume is turned up and that your iPhone's volume isn't muted.
Reconnecting a Beats Pill you've already paired
If you've paired your Beats Pill to your iPhone before, reconnecting is much simpler. Just turn on the speaker — your iPhone will recognize it and connect automatically within a few seconds. You don't need to go into settings or tap anything.
This automatic reconnection only works if both devices are within Bluetooth range, which is typically 30 feet in an open space. If your speaker is in another room or you've turned off Bluetooth on your iPhone, the connection will drop. Turn Bluetooth back on or bring the speaker closer, and your phone will reconnect.
If your Beats Pill doesn't reconnect automatically, go to Settings > Bluetooth and look for the speaker in the list of paired devices. Tap it to connect manually. If it still doesn't work, move on to the troubleshooting section below.
What to do if pairing fails
If your Beats Pill doesn't appear in the Bluetooth list, the speaker may not be in pairing mode. Turn it off completely, wait five seconds, then turn it back on. Hold the power button longer this time — usually for about 10 seconds — until you see a light flash or hear a voice prompt. Some Beats Pills require a longer press to enter pairing mode.
If the speaker still doesn't show up, restart your iPhone. Go to Settings > General > Shut Down, then slide to power off. Wait 10 seconds, then press the side button to turn it back on. Once your iPhone restarts, try pairing again.
If pairing still fails after restarting both devices, forget the speaker from your Bluetooth settings and try again. Go to Settings > Bluetooth, find your Beats Pill in the list, tap the i icon next to it, and select Forget This Device. Then turn off the speaker, turn it back on, and pair it fresh.
Pairing multiple devices to the same Beats Pill
You can pair your Beats Pill to more than one iPhone, iPad, or other device. The speaker will remember all of them. However, it can only play audio from one device at a time — if you start playing music on a second device, the speaker will switch to that device and stop playing from the first one.
To pair a second device, follow the same steps as the first pairing. Make sure the speaker is in pairing mode, go to Bluetooth settings on the new device, and tap the speaker's name. The speaker will add the new device to its memory without forgetting the first one.
If you want to switch which device the speaker is playing from, just start playing audio on that device. The speaker will automatically disconnect from the previous device and connect to the new one. You don't need to manually switch anything.
Checking your connection and fixing audio problems
Once your Beats Pill is paired and playing, you can check the connection strength by going to Settings > Bluetooth. Your speaker will show as "Connected" next to its name. If it shows "Not Connected," the speaker is paired but not currently linked to your phone — turn the speaker off and back on to reconnect.
If you're hearing audio from your iPhone's speaker instead of the Beats Pill, your phone may have switched to a different audio output. Open Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of your screen. Look for the audio card showing which device is playing sound. If it shows your iPhone speaker, tap it and select your Beats Pill from the list.
If the speaker is connected but the sound is very quiet, check the volume on both the speaker itself and your iPhone. The Beats Pill has physical volume buttons on the side. Your iPhone's volume is controlled by the buttons on the left edge of the phone or through the volume slider in Control Center. Turn up both if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn't my Beats Pill showing up in Bluetooth settings?
The speaker may not be in pairing mode. Turn it off, wait five seconds, then turn it back on and hold the power button for 10 seconds until you see a light flash. If it still doesn't appear, restart your iPhone and try again. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on in your iPhone's settings.
Can I use my Beats Pill with multiple iPhones at the same time?
You can pair the speaker to multiple iPhones, but it plays audio from only one at a time. If two iPhones try to play sound simultaneously, the speaker will switch to whichever one started playing most recently. You'll need to manually switch which device is playing.
My Beats Pill was paired before but won't reconnect. What do I do?
Turn the speaker off and back on. If it still doesn't connect, go to Settings > Bluetooth, tap the i icon next to your Beats Pill, and select Forget This Device. Then pair it again from scratch by turning on the speaker and tapping it in your Bluetooth list.
How far away can my iPhone be from the Beats Pill?
Bluetooth typically works within 30 feet in an open space. Walls, metal objects, and other obstacles can reduce this range. If your speaker disconnects when you move to another room, bring it closer or move to a more open area.
Why is the sound coming from my iPhone speaker instead of the Beats Pill?
Your iPhone may have switched to a different audio output. Open Control Center, find the audio card, and tap it to see which device is selected. Choose your Beats Pill from the list. Also check that the speaker's volume isn't turned all the way down.